


Avatar Zuko AU

by RandomFandomJasper



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Avatar Zuko
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:20:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24075088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandomFandomJasper/pseuds/RandomFandomJasper
Summary: Exactly what it sounds like. It's an ATLA AU where Zuko is the Avatar instead of Aang. Heavily inspired by a Tumblr post I found.
Comments: 17
Kudos: 178





	1. The Boy in the Iceberg

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I know Zuko had a dragon in LoK. No, this is not that dragon. This is a different dragon. Also, why is Zuko such a sweet kid instead of the salty teen we saw in ATLA? Simple. He didn't succumb to rage over trying to hunt down the Avatar. He's essentially the same person he was before the Agni Kai with Ozai. Just a polite boyo who likes feeding turtleducks (with no Azula to throw rocks at them).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I posted a picture of Zuko's dragon on Tumblr. So... here's that:  
> https://randomfandomfamily.tumblr.com/post/617561770317545472/if-you-havent-seen-this-post-about-the-avatar

Katara wasn’t sure what to expect when a light appeared deep in the water, but the giant glowing iceberg that erupted from the cold depths was a definite surprise. And just when she thought it couldn’t get any stranger, there was a _person_ in the ice, which was definitely not on the list of things she thought she’d see today.

She almost asked Sokka if they could just go home. The boat was gone, but they could jump the plates of ice until they made it back to camp, right? Anything to stop staring at the frozen corpse in the ice.

The frozen corpse that just opened their eyes.

“They’re alive!” Katara grabbed Sokka’s club and pulled her hood up. “We have to help!” She started running before Sokka could stop her.

“Katara!” Sokka protested. “Get back here! We don’t know what that thing is!” And maybe they didn’t. But Katara was _pretty sure_ it was a person, even with the glowing eyes, and they needed help. So she jumped across the ice chunks leading to the iceberg with Sokka close behind.

As soon as she was close enough to hit, she swung the club as hard as she could into the ice. She was sure Sokka wanted to stop her, but he stood off to the side and watched instead, probably to avoid getting hit.

She knew it’d take forever to get anywhere near the center, but she was determined. After five solid strikes, her rhythm was interrupted by a blast of cold wind. She stumbled backward into Sokka and watched in shock as a crack run up the center of the iceberg.

The fact that the iceberg glowed was strange enough, but the beam of light that exploded _had_ to be where the weirdness peaked.

And it wasn’t just Katara and Sokka who noticed. The light could be seen for miles around, even from the Fire Nation ship sailing by.

A member of the crew eyed the light suspiciously. “Sir? That light looks… strange.” He turned to the elderly man sitting nearby. “Should we go check it out?”

“Hm… no, I don’t think so,” the old man replied, placing a tile on the small table in front of him.

“Why not, Iroh? It _could_ be the Avatar,” the crew member said.

Iroh chuckled good-naturedly. “I’m sure it’s just the Celestial Lights.” He continued to methodically place tiles on top of each other. “Besides, if we go chasing every light we see, I’ll never get to finish my game.”

The crew member watched the light fade away. “I guess you’re right,” he said reluctantly.

“Why don’t you come sit down?” Iroh suggested. “We can share a nice cup of calming Jasmine tea.”

Contrary to popular belief, Iroh wasn’t nearly as incompetent as he appeared. Of course the light had come from a powerful source. The crew member might have even been correct to assume it was the Avatar. The odds of it being anything else were _very_ slim.

Given that it was supposed to be Iroh’s mission to hunt down the Avatar for the Fire Nation, he most certainly should have done his duty and followed the light to the nearest group of water benders.

However, Iroh wasn’t actually too concerned with finding the Avatar. His crew may have been loyal to the Fire Nation and all of their ideals, but Iroh wasn’t. He’d rather not be involved with the death of any more innocents. If the light was a distress signal of some kind then Iroh could only hope, for the Avatar’s sake, that there was someone nearby that would help them.

Help had definitely been Katara’s goal, but now she stood behind Sokka staring up at an eerie lights, wondering if she had made the right choice. Perhaps she had been a _little_ hasty in cracking open a giant glowing block of ice.

A boy appeared at the broken edge of the iceberg. Or at least Katara _assumed_ they were a boy. It was hard to tell against the bright lights. Sokka held up his spear at the figure, ready to defend Katara. “Stop!”

Immediately, the air stilled. The rings of light disappeared. Katara could see the figure more clearly, dressed in dark red, a cloak draped around their shoulders. Their glowing eyes faded, and they immediately collapsed.

Katara pushed past Sokka, barely catching the mysterious stranger before they hit the ground. The cloak did a good job of obscuring most of his face, but Katara was fairly certain at this point that he was a boy. The only question now was: What was he doing in the iceberg?

She carefully turned him over, the hood falling back. The angry red across the left half of his face made her stomach turn. “Oh no…” The wound had long since healed, but it was clearly a burn. He’d been the victim of the Fire Nation.

There were plenty of people around camp with similar scars. Though none quite so obvious as his.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Sokka poking the stranger in the head with the blunt end of his spear. She smacked the spear away. “Stop it! Can’t you see he’s hurt?”

Sokka’s brow furrowed. “Looks fine to me.”

Katara glanced back down to see a pair of gold eyes staring back up at her. “Hello,” he said sheepishly, “Zuko here.”

“Uh… hi.” Katara moved back so that he could sit up.

He glanced around, looking as confused as she felt. “What’s going on?” He asked, standing slowly, still trying to get his bearings.

“You tell us!” Sokka pointed his spear accusingly. “How’d you get in the ice?” He poked the spear tip into Zuko’s side experimentally. “And why aren’t you frozen?”

Zuko side-stepped the spear tip, still glancing around. “I don’t know…” A low rumble made his gaze snap back to the broken iceberg. He immediately ran up the short wall of ice and vaulted over it.

Katara and Sokka walked around, hoping that whatever made that rumbling noise wasn’t as dangerous as it sounded.

Sokka let out a strangled yelp when the _dragon_ came into view, and Katara couldn’t even manage that much. There was only one kind of bender that had ever been able to ride dragons. That meant Zuko was Fire Nation.

She should’ve _known,_ how could she not know? The pale skin and black hair should have been a dead giveaway all by itself, but the gold eyes? He was so _clearly_ Fire Nation and Katara mentally kicked herself for not realizing.

Zuko put a hand on the dragon’s snout. “Rina, wake up. Are you alright?” The dragon’s eyes opened, red eyes standing out brightly against the gray scales. Zuko sighed in relief. “You’re okay.” The dragon uncurled itself and stood, shaking out the red fur around her head.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, Sokka walked over to Zuko and Rina. “Okay. Explain this.”

“She’s… a dragon.” Zuko said.

“I _know_ it’s a dragon,” Sokka snapped. “Why do you _have_ it?”

Zuko started to answer, but Rina started to make an unsettling sound. An explosive sneezed escaped the dragon, sending a plume of ash in Sokka’s direction. Sokka coughed as the ash settled on his clothes. “Don’t worry,” Zuko said, “the ash will wash out.” Sokka angrily waved away the remaining ash in the air. “So do you guys live around here, or-”

Sokka pointed his spear at him. “Don’t answer that! Did you see that crazy bolt of light? He was probably trying to signal the Fire Navy!”

Zuko looked bewildered. “Navy- what? Look, whatever you think I signaled, I didn’t.”

“Sure,” Katara said sarcastically. “You _aren’t_ trying to summon all your friends in the Fire Nation. I’m sure you’d just _love_ for my brother and I to make it home _safe_ , right?” Deep-rooted hatred formed a knot in her chest. Firebenders were monsters. They killed without mercy or reason, and she had the memories to prove it.

“Yes, actually, you and your brother getting home safe would be great,” Zuko answered. “Why wouldn’t I want you to?”

“Because you’re Fire Nation!” Sokka lowered his spear at Zuko. “Hurting people is kind of your guys’ whole thing.”

Zuko held up his hands placatingly. “I’ve been running from the Fire Nation for a year now. Whatever they’ve done, or whatever they’ve _been_ doing, I had _no_ part of it.”

Katara felt her hatred waver a bit. He seemed sincere. And she honestly couldn’t think of any other reason a _firebender_ would be this far down south alone. “Why are you running?”

Sokka turned to her. “You’re not _seriously_ believing this, are you?”

The dragon reared her head suddenly, placing herself between Zuko and Sokka protectively. “It’s okay, Rina,” Zuko said, “Calm down.” He glanced at Katara apologetically. “I’m sorry, she’s just a little-”

“Protective,” Katara finished. Animals didn’t react like that unless they were really close with a person. And dragons in particular could be volatile creatures, so she doubted Rina would be so protective of Zuko if he was as cruel as the rest of his nation. “Sokka, I think he’s telling the truth.”

Sokka scoffed. “Based on what? His _dragon_ likes him? He probably trained it to do that!”

“He’s a firebender in the middle of the south pole. _Alone._ This is the _worst_ place a firebender could be. Why else would he be here unless he was hiding?” Sokka’s grip on the spear shifted. “I don’t like the situation any more than you do, okay? Just put the spear down.”

Her brother complied reluctantly, still glaring at Zuko. She felt like doing the same. But if Zuko really _was_ on the run, and they sent him away with no help? They’d intentionally be putting him in danger. And then they wouldn’t be any different than the Fire Nation.

That didn’t mean she trusted him. Even if he was on the run, he was _still_ a firebender.

“The paranoid one is my brother, Sokka,” she said, “And my name is Katara.”

“Nice to meet you,” Zuko replied.

Sokka threw his free hand in the air. “Giant light beams, frozen firebender, dragon- I think I’ve got Midnight Sun Madness.” He started walking away. “I’m going home to where things make sense.” He halted at the edge of the ice, realizing he had no way to _get_ home to where things made sense.

Zuko cleared his throat. “I know you don’t trust me, but if you’re stuck, Rina and I can help you get home.” He climbed on Rina’s back. “She doesn’t bite. I promise.”

Katara eyed him suspiciously. “Okay, but… if you try _anything-”_

“I give permission to drown me if I do anything that even _slightly_ betrays your trust,” Zuko said. “So are you coming?”

She moved around the side of the dragon. There was a basket saddled around the dragon’s middle. It looked like it might have held supplies at one point. Zuko moved closer to give her a hand up.

“Oh _no_ ,” Sokka said, “No way are we bringing that fire-breathing monster home. And not the dragon either.”

“It’s either we bring him back with us, or we leave him out here for the Fire Navy to find,” Katara told him. “Besides, are you really gonna wait for some _other_ kind of monster to come along and give you a ride home?” She asked. “You know, _before_ you freeze to death?”

Sokka opened his mouth to answer, then heaved a frustrated sigh and climbed on board with Katara.

Zuko took the reins. “Hold on,” he warned, “It can be scary for first time fliers.” He flicked the reins. “Come on, Rina.”

The dragon stretched her wings, showing off a wingspan that Katara couldn’t have even imagined. She and Sokka both gripped the side of the basket as the dragon flapped once, and lifted them into the air. Katara felt weightless for a moment, gliding through the air, then Rina landed on the closest glacier.

She began gliding from glacier to glacier, never staying in the air for more than a few seconds. “Wow,” Sokka said monotonously, “This is truly amazing.”

“I think she’s just tired,” Zuko said, “She’ll be flying again once she gets some rest.”

Katara hardly cared that Rina wasn’t actually flying, the reptile herself was absolutely amazing. She reached out a hand carefully, then hesitated. “Hey Zuko, could I…?”

He looked back to see what she wanted. “Pet her? I don’t see why not.”

“I could think of a lot of reasons _why not,”_ Sokka grumbled.

“Just don’t rub her scales the wrong way,” Zuko said. “It’ll hurt her.” Katara took off her glove and ran her fingers across the scales gently. The scales were unnaturally warm, but not uncomfortably so. She imagined it’d be nice to curl up next to the dragon on cold nights.

Unbeknownst to the teenagers, there was an old man a few miles away swirling a cup of tea absently. At first, he had been hesitant to investigate the light. But now curiosity--and worry--were getting the best of him.

If his crew went back home and told stories of a strange light in the south, there would undoubtedly be a frantic search for the Avatar. They’d attack the unsuspecting water tribe. For the _second_ time.

Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to ‘capture’ the Avatar. Just to see how they were doing, and maybe give the water tribe a warning that the Fire Nation was looking for the powerful bender. It’s not like he couldn’t just let the Avatar escape later. On accident, of course. Everyone in the Fire Nation already assumed he was incompetent.

“Helmsman?” Iroh called. “Could you set a course for the Southern Water Tribe? Whichever camp is closest will do.”

His crew carried out the request with no complaint. Iroh almost felt bad that he was leading them on a pointless mission, seeing as how he was going to be letting the Avatar go, but it was necessary to see how the Avatar was doing.

And, unbeknownst to Iroh, a trio of teenagers were riding a dragon to the same destination. They had finally reached solid ice, and Rina lumbering along at a steady pace. Effectively lulling the two water tribe members to sleep

Sokka passed out pretty fast, always an ‘early bed, early to rise’ kind of guy. Katara, on the other hand, didn’t want to leave their new acquaintance unsupervised. She scooted to the front of the basket and looked at Zuko curiously. He didn’t notice her at first, he just laid across Rina’s back and stared at the sky.

Katara leaned against the front of the basket. “Hey.”

Zuko looked at her upside down. “Hey.” He sat up and turned to face her. “Something wrong?”

“No. I was just wondering about something,” Katara said, “Do you have any idea what happened to the Avatar?”

“Oh…” Zuko glanced away. “I didn’t know him. Big nation, you know? Lots of people. Besides, I didn’t get out much. Sorry.”

Katara was disappointed, but it made sense. The Fire Nation was a big place and the guy _was_ on the run. “Okay. I was just curious.”

Zuko tilted his head curiously. “Why the interest in the Avatar?”

“He’s supposed to be the one that saves us,” Katara replied bitterly, “From _your_ people.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.” Zuko rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess I’ve missed a lot in the past few months.” Katara yawned in spite of herself. “You can go to sleep if you want.”

Katara glared at him with tired eyes. “You’re really not getting this whole us not trusting you, are you?”

“I guess not,” Zuko said, “I used to have a friend here, and he didn’t seem to have an issue with me being a firebender.”

“Hm.” Katara moved away from the edge of the basket. “Okay, fine. I guess I am pretty tired. But no funny business.”

Zuko held up his right hand. “We’re going straight to the camp. I promise.”

“You’d better,” Katara went to lay down near her brother. “Good night.”

“Night,” Zuko answered. If Katara had turned back around, she might have seen the troubled look on the firebender’s face as he laid back down. He didn’t sleep, although he was certainly tempted, and he rode Rina in silence all the way to Katara and Sokka’s camp.

The siblings clambered off Rina’s back sleepily and told Zuko which tent to settle in. He didn’t quite understand the tired mumbling, but he vaguely understood that Sokka liked to wake the tribe up early. Something about… warriors? He didn’t quite catch it.

He thought for sure he’d be up all night, worrying about how the rest of the tribe would react to his presence. His body, on the other hand, had different plans. He was pretty sure his entire being shut off before he even laid down.

When he sat up again, it was raining. Possibly even stranger than that, he was riding Rina. He barely realized he was dreaming before a gust of wind nearly swept him off his dragon. The situation was all too familiar: the last thing he remembered before meeting Katara and Sokka.

He grabbed the reins in a feeble attempt to gain control in the raging storm, but there was nothing he could do to stop the two of them plunging into the churning water below.

Neither he nor his dragon thrived in cold water, Zuko could feel his body seizing up from the frozen shock. He felt something strange rise up within him, a strength he didn’t know he had, and the water around him swirled. Not in a menacing way. Controlled. Protective, somehow.

The water solidified into a sphere of ice, both saving _and_ trapping Zuko. He would have panicked if it weren’t for the familiar voice calling his name.

“Zuko, wake up!” Katara recoiled as Zuko bolted upright. His gaze darted around the tent anxiously, like he couldn’t quite place where he was. “Calm down. You’re in the village.” She stood. “Come on, get ready. Everyone’s waiting to meet you.”

He took a shaky breath. “I- me? Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Katara said. “You think we’d let a firebender into our camp and _not_ tell everyone? We know you’re on the run, but you still can’t be trusted, so everyone’s gonna be keeping an eye on you. Got it?”

Zuko nodded. “Right. That’s fair.”

“Put these on,” she tossed him some clothes she had stolen from her brother. “I don’t think you’re really built for this kind of weather.”

She almost left, even had one foot out the door. But turning back, she couldn’t help but notice the multitude of scars running across… everything. His back, his arms… and his eye, of course. It looked like Zuko had done more than his fair share of fighting.

As soon as he pulled on the coat, Katara grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the tent. She pushed the scars out of her mind. He was still a firebender. He still didn’t have her pity. She led him to the middle of the village, which really wasn’t too far of a walk.

“Zuko,” she introduced him to her fellow water tribe, “this is the entire village. Entire village. Zuko.” The firebender bowed respectfully, but a few of the villagers eyed him warily.

Katara didn’t blame them, not after what happened to their tribe. And Zuko didn’t look like he blamed them either. “Sorry,” he said quickly. He leaned in closer to Katara to whisper, “Should I- Katara, maybe I should go.”

She frowned. “Zuko, I know we said we don’t trust you, but leaving you alone out there with the Fire Nation after you wouldn’t make us any better them.”

“But they’re _clearly_ not comfortable with me here.”

“Young man.” Zuko straightened at the sound of an elderly woman’s voice. “I’m curious about your dragon.”

Zuko glanced at Rina. “She’s harmless. Well, I mean, not really? Because she’s a dragon? But she won’t hurt anyone here.”

Katara stifled a laugh at how nervous her grandmother made him. “Not that,” she said. “I’m curious because no one has seen a dragon in one hundred years. We thought they were extinct, until my granddaughter and grandson found _you.”_

“Extinct?” Zuko asked.

“Zuko,” Katara interjected, “This is my grandmother.”

“Call me Gran-Gran.” Zuko looked like he would absolutely _not_ be calling her that, but appreciated the offer.

Sokka walked over, already looking irritated. “Hey, why don’t you-” Zuko shouted in alarm and jumped back away from Sokka, bumping into Katara. “Geez! What is up _with_ you?”

Zuko took a step back. “Sorry! Sorry, it’s just- I can’t really…” He gestured vaguely at the left side of his face. “I can’t see that well… or hear. From this side.” Every member of their small camp was staring at him, and he didn’t seem to like the attention. “Never mind,” he murmured.

He pulled up the hood of the coat Katara had given him. She could see how uneasy Zuko was. It was bad enough that no one here trusted him, now he’d been thoroughly embarrassed in front of everyone.

Luckily, one of the kids in the village broke the tension. “Can you really make magic fire?”

“Um… it’s not magic,” Zuko said slowly. “But, yeah. I can make fire.” He cupped his hands, and the tiniest flame appeared. “See? Fire.”

The children all drew closer, absolutely entranced. Everyone started to look a little less wary of Zuko as he carefully moved away from the kids to demonstrate his firebending. The fire never left his hands, just a flickering flame about three inches in height, but he kept his distance all the same.

Katara couldn’t help being amazed. She had only ever seen firebending in action one other time, and it hadn’t looked anything like this. This wasn’t angry or violent. This wasn’t a fight. The fire simply existed, just as Zuko did, and neither of them had caused any harm.

She was starting to feel bad for giving the firebender such a hard time.

Sokka, on the other hand, didn’t seem to share her sentiment. “Watch where you’re bending that, you’re going to melt my watchtower!”

Zuko let the fire dissipate. “Oh.” He looked up at the watchtower. “I think it’s okay.”

Her brother groaned. “You’re a firebender, Katara’s a waterbender, together you guys can waste time all day long.”

Zuko turned to Katara in surprise. “You’re a waterbender?”

“Well, sort of,” Katara said, “Not yet.”

“Alright,” Gran-Gran interrupted. “No more playing.” Gran-Gran took her by the arm and led her away. “Come on, Katara, you have chores.”

Katara walked alongside her grandmother, deep in thought. “Gran-Gran?” She asked finally, “Do you think he could teach me bending?”

Her grandmother sighed. “I don’t think you should be putting all your hopes in this boy. You don’t know anything about him.”

“But I think he’s _different,_ ” Katara insisted. “Who knows? He could be filled with _much_ wisdom.”

Gran-Gran watched, completely unamused, as Zuko attempted to politely pull himself away from the kids of the village. He waved awkwardly when he saw Katara and her grandmother staring. It didn’t do much to help Katara’s argument.

Eventually Sokka had to come and wrangle them all, but Katara knew it was only so he could start playing soldier again. She was sure her brother had good intentions, but the ‘training’ he put the kids through was almost comical. In a very endearing way. He expected them to be the men of the tribe until everyone’s father came home. Not exactly the best job for a group of six year olds.

His lesson seemed to fly _especially_ high over their heads today. Warning them to be cautious of firebenders was a lot harder when one of them helped start the fire for breakfast.

That, and they all _conveniently_ needed a potty break at the _exact_ same time, and they were only halfway through the lesson. Sokka knew he couldn’t really be mad at the kids, but his frustration levels were on the rise.

Katara came running over as the kids wandered off. “Sokka! Have you seen Zuko?”

“No,” Sokka said bitterly, “But if you see him, get him out of here. This lesson is for _warriors_ , and he’s-” A round of laughter made both of them turn. The kids were taking turns sliding down Rina’s tail and falling into a pile of snow.

Sokka stormed over in frustration while Katara giggled at the kids’ antics. Zuko sat on top of the dragon and watched as the kids slid down one by one. “Stop! Stop it right now!” He demanded. “What is wrong with you?! We don’t have time for fun and games with the war going on!”

Zuko slid off of Rina’s back. “What war? What are you talking about?”

“You’re kidding.” This guy _had_ to be pulling his leg. It was _his nation of people_. “That isn’t funny, you know.”

“I don’t-” Zuko’s gaze caught something behind them. “Oh, penguin. I haven’t seen penguins since…” He started walking away. “Sorry for ruining your lesson, Sokka. I’ll be over here looking at penguins if you need me.”

Sokka turned to Katara as he walked away. “He’s kidding, right?”

The most obvious answer was _yes._ Of course he was kidding. How could he possibly not know about the war that had been going on for the past one hundred years?

But Katara wasn’t so sure. It really seemed like he didn’t know. Sokka made another attempt at rounding up the kids, while Katara went looking for the wayward firebender.

It wasn’t difficult to track Zuko in the snow, and it wasn’t long before she stumbled upon a group of adorable penguins. “Zuko?”

She spotted him sitting among a group of penguins. He reached out to pet one of them, just barely grazing a wing before the penguin waddled away. “That’s okay. Waddle along, little penguin.” Katara walked over to stand next to him, making sure to approach his right side.

He pulled his knees up to his chest. “I take it your brother still doesn’t like me very much.”

“I’m sorry,” Katara apologized as she sat down next to him. “He’s been under a lot of stress since all the men in our tribe went to fight in the war.”

“I don’t think he’s the only one. I mean, what about you?” He asked. “Aren’t _you_ stressed?”

Katara sighed. “Of course I am. The war’s been hard on everyone.” She watched him reach out to another penguin. He pet the top of a penguin’s head for a few seconds before it moved away. “And what about you, Mister Fugitive?”

“What about me?”

“I can’t imagine it’s _relaxing_ to have your people turned against you.” Zuko shifted uncomfortably. “What happened anyway? Did you break the law or something? Your scar-”

“Can we make a deal?” Zuko interrupted. “I don’t ask what happened to your village and you don’t ask about my face.” He looked like he wanted to melt right through the snow. Usually, refusing to talk about what got you banished would be sending up a lot of red flags, but Zuko seemed more distraught than anything.

Katara held out her hand. “Okay.” Zuko started to take the offered hand, but she pulled back slightly. “But _I_ wanna make a deal first.”

Nervousness flashed across his expression. “And that would be?”

“I teach you penguin sledding, and you teach me waterbending.”

“You know, I’d say yes if I could,” Zuko said, “But I’m a firebender, not a waterbender. Isn’t there someone around here that can teach you?”

Katara felt a pang of sadness. “No. You’re looking at the only waterbender in the whole South Pole.”

Zuko hummed. “There’s always the North Pole. Maybe they can teach you?”

“Maybe,” Katara agreed. “But we haven’t had contact with our sister tribe in a long time. It’s not exactly ‘turn right at the second glacier’, it’s on the other side of the world.”

They sat in silence for a few moments before Zuko said, “I have a dragon. Rina and I can fly you to the North Pole and find you a master. If you want.”

Excitement briefly fluttered in Katara’s chest. “That’s… I mean, I don’t know. I’ve never left home before.”

Zuko stood and brushed the snow off of him. “Well, you think about it. Though I feel like I have to confess I’ve already been penguin sledding before, so it really wouldn’t have been a fair deal anyway.” He offered her a hand up.

Katara took his hand and let herself be pulled to her feet. “You’ve been penguin sledding?”

“Once,” Zuko said, “I came to the South Pole with my father years ago. A kid I met taught me how, but I got in trouble, so I haven’t done it since.”

“Strict parents?”

“Something like that,” Zuko shrugged, “It’s not like I would know how to catch one of these things anyway.”

Katara crossed her arms. “Not an animal person, huh?”

He leaned down and patted a penguin. “I’m fine with animals, actually. I used to feed the turtleducks outside my house all the time, and Rina and I get along great. I just don’t know how to catch one.”

“Then it’s your lucky day,” Katara said. “Listen closely, my young pupil. Catching penguins is an ancient and sacred art.” She pulled a small fish, seemingly out of nowhere, and tossed it to Zuko. “Observe.”

Zuko caught the fish clumsily, and was immediately swarmed by penguins. It was easier to grab one with them all huddled in a group. Within seconds, Katara and Zuko were gliding down the hill at exhilarating speeds.

Katara couldn’t help the laughter that escaped her as they soared over the edge of a cliff. “I haven’t done this since I was a kid!”

“You still are a kid!” Zuko shouted back. They darted through a tunnel, sliding back and forth along the walls. Katara thought she saw the barest trace of a smile on Zuko’s face before they emerged from the other side.

Then they saw the ship.

Katara had almost forgotten all about it. It’d been a long time since she’d come out this far. Zuko got off his penguin and stared at the ship in confusion. “What _is_ that?”

“A Fire Navy ship,” Katara answered. “And a very _bad_ memory for my people.” Zuko started towards the ship. “Zuko, stop. We’re not allowed to go near it. The ship could be booby trapped.”

Zuko turned to her. “My people did something terrible,” he said, “I have _no_ idea what it is. I’m missing something big, and everyone knows about it but me.” He looked back up at the ship. “If this thing has some answers, then I’m going to find them.”

Katara hesitated. “Fine. At least let me come with you.” She wished she could say that she only wanted to go to make sure he didn’t get hurt, but she knew deep down that she was still afraid he would betray them.

They climbed up a small hill of ice to a hole in the side of the ship. The inside of the ship was even creepier than the outside, and Katara didn’t think that was possible. Zuko looked more confused the more they walked around.

He halted outside a room full of weapons, staring as though he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “This ship has haunted my tribe since Gran-Gran was a little girl. It was part of the Fire Nation’s first attack.”

Zuko walked into the room and frowned at the multitude of weapons. “That doesn’t make any sense. I’ve only been gone for a year. I didn’t see _any_ war.”

Pieces were starting to fall into place. “Zuko, how long were you in that iceberg?”

“I-I don’t know… a few days? Maybe?”

Katara shook her head. “No. I think it was more like a hundred _years_.”

Zuko turned to look at her incredulously. “What? That’s impossible.” He swept a hand over himself. “Do I _look_ like a hundred and fourteen year old man to you?”

“Think about it,” Katara said, “This war is a _century_ old. And you don’t know about it because, somehow, you were in that iceberg the _whole time_.” Realization seemed to dawn on Zuko. “It’s the only explanation.”

He leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. “A hundred years… I can’t believe it.”

“I’m sorry, Zuko,” Katara knelt next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “But at least we know you’re telling the truth about not being involved with the Fire Nation.”

“Yeah. I guess there’s that.” He took another look at all the weapons. “Can we get out of here now? I think I’m done looking for answers.”

Katara nodded. “Sounds good to me.” They retraced their steps back to the hole in the ship. “My brother will probably be worried. I don’t usually leave camp.”

“And I’m sure he wouldn’t approve of you sneaking out with- whoa!” He tripped over something and righted himself quickly. “What was…” They both spotted the wire at the same time. “Booby traps.” They’d been lucky enough to step over it on the way in. Not so lucky on the way out apparently.

A flare sounded overheard, no doubt signaling any nearby Fire Navy ships. “Let’s go!” Katara grabbed Zuko’s arm and started running. Sokka _definitely_ wasn’t going to like this. Nobody in the village was.

And she couldn’t think of anything that might convince them it was an accident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Having fun so far?


	2. The Avatar Returns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're actually sticking around for this? Neat.

Katara and Zuko ran until they were a safe distance away from the ship. Then they slowed to a walk to catch their breath. It was a silent walk for the most part, both of them looking over their shoulders from time to time. It was probably second nature for Zuko, being on the run for so long.

Her entire village was waiting for them by the time they made it back. A few of the kids ran up to Zuko excitedly, babbling about his ‘magic’, fire but the adults all glared at him furiously.

Sokka pointed at Zuko accusingly. “I knew it! You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare! You’re leading them straight to us, aren’t you?”

“Zuko didn’t do anything,” Katara protested. “It was an accident.”

“There was a booby trap on the ship,” Zuko explained. “I triggered it by mistake.”

Gran-Gran scowled in disappointment. “Katara, you shouldn’t have gone on that ship. Now we could _all_ be in danger!”

“Don’t blame Katara,” Zuko said, “It was _my_ idea to explore the ship. This was my fault.”

“Ah-ha!” Sokka exclaimed, “The traitor confesses! Warriors, _away_ from the enemy.” The kids shuffled back to the crowd. “The foreigner is _banished_ from our village!”

Katara knew Sokka’s concerns weren’t unreasonable, but his refusal to listen was infuriating. She took a few steps forward to take the attention off of Zuko so she could talk to her brother. “He isn’t a traitor, Sokka! You’re making a mistake!”

“I’m keeping my promise to Dad,” Sokka said, “I’m keeping you safe from threats like _him!”_

“Zuko is _not_ our enemy!” Katara insisted. “He’s not involved in this war. If you would take the time to _talk_ to him-”

“Talk to _him?_ No way.” Sokka’s gaze turned to Zuko. “You. Get out of our village. _Now.”_

Katara was going in circles with Sokka. “Grandmother, please,” she tried, “Don’t let Sokka do this.”

Gran-Gran’s face was expressionless. “You knew going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka is right. I think it best if the firebender leaves.”

“Fine!” Katara yelled. “Then I’m banished too!” She took a couple steps back to stand by Zuko. “We’ll leave together.”

Sokka gaped at her. “You would choose _him_ over your own _family?_ Where would you even go?!”

“To the North Pole,” Katara snapped, “So I can learn _real_ waterbending.” She took Zuko by the arm. “Come on, Zuko. Let’s go.” She started towards Rina so they could leave, but Zuko didn’t move. “Zuko?”

“Katara,” Zuko said quietly, “I don’t want to come between you and your family.”

Katara stared at him uncomprehendingly. “So you’re just going to leave? This is goodbye?”

“Yeah. I think it has to be.” Rina let out a quiet rumble and butted her head against Zuko’s back. “Thanks for penguin sledding with me.”

“But where will you go?” Katara asked.

Zuko shrugged. “It’s been a hundred years. Maybe everyone’s forgotten I was banished. Not that I’d want to go back to the Fire Nation at this point anyway.” His gaze drifted. “Maybe I could find a nice Earth kingdom to…” He froze. “Oh no.”

Katara followed his gaze out to the water. Her heart nearly stopped at the sight of Fire Navy ships. “But how… how did they get here so fast?”

“Fire Navy ships!” Sokka yelled. “Everyone! Ready our defenses!” The kids scrambled to comply. “They’ll be on our shore any minute now!” He cast one last glare at Zuko. “Happy now?”

Zuko watched him run back to the village in stunned silence. He was about as far from happy as he could get. There’s no way they got here so fast after seeing the flare. They must have already been tracking him, probably since yesterday.

But it had been a hundred years. Why would anyone still be looking for him?

He felt torn. Should he leave? Maybe try to draw the attention away from the village? But what if they attacked anyway? Then he’d just leave them defenseless.

Rina huffed at him, snapping him out of his thoughts. Katara was running back to the village with the rest of her tribe, and he was still standing there like an idiot. “Rina, stay here.” The dragon grumbled, but she complied, lying down in the snow as Zuko ran off.

Katara ushered a couple of the kids away from the spears, apparently not sharing her brother’s sentiment on the becoming warriors, and told them to go hide in their tents. “Where’s Sokka?”

“Putting on war paint or something, I don’t know!” The ships were still distant, but Katara was on edge. Zuko had promised not to ask, and he didn’t expect Katara to say anything about it, but he had a feeling this wouldn’t be the first time the Fire Nation had attacked them.

How many people did the Fire Nation hurt in the past one hundred years? Probably more than he wanted to imagine.

He already knew what he was going to do when that ship got to the shore. And he knew Katara wasn’t going to like it. But there were kids here preparing to fight. Children, _toddlers,_ who had already lost fathers to this war.

“You need to hide,” Katara said. “If they’re really after you, then-”

“I’m not running from the Fire Nation,” Zuko said firmly. “I’m gonna help.”

Sokka reemerged from his tent with war paint on his face. “What is he still doing here?!”

“I’m _helping._ ” Zuko wasn’t explaining how exactly he was gonna help, but he knew he couldn’t leave.

“Haven’t you done enough?” Sokka said angrily. “This whole mess is your fault!” Zuko knew he was right. He watched Sokka climb the wall of snow around the camp. The ground was starting to tremble, and it wasn’t Rina growling.

He went back to helping Katara round up kids. The sound of ice breaking made Zuko turn. There was a kid on the ground, frozen in fear as a crack raced towards them. Zuko was too far away, but Katara was fast enough to grab them and carry them to safety.

Alarmed shouts went up around the camp. The ship was close enough to the metal hull, and Sokka was still standing on top of the wall. Katara stared in horror at the in coming ship. “Sokka! Get out of the way!”

Sokka lifted his club, as though attempting to fight the ship itself, but the wall of snow crumbled beneath him and swept him away from the ship.

Everything was eerily still for a moment, nothing but steam from the ship door could be heard throughout the entire village. People poked their heads out of their tents, waiting anxiously for the next move.

The door opened, and Sokka scrambled away to avoid getting crushed. Mothers hugged their children as armored warriors emerged from the ship.

With a battle cry, Sokka charged the nearest Fire Nation soldier with his club. Zuko winced as the water tribe teen was quickly tossed into whatever was left of his wall. Luckily, it was a pretty soft landing.

What surprised Zuko most was the old man that followed the soldiers. He didn’t seem particularly aggressive, he wasn’t even wearing any armor, but Zuko had learned that wasn’t a factor in skill.

The old man glanced around at the water tribe. “Where are you hiding him?”

Katara’s gaze flicked to Zuko, but nobody said a word.

“He’d be about my age,” the old man continued, “A scar over his left eye?”

Zuko started to step forward, but Sokka beat him to it. He had freed himself from the pile of snow and was making a second attempt at attacking, this time aiming for the old man.

One of the soldiers noticed, taking Sokka by the arm and throwing him on the ground. Another sent a streak of fire in Sokka’s direction which, thankfully, Sokka narrowly avoided.

“We know you are hiding him,” the old man said, as though nothing had happened. “We’d prefer to solve this without violence.”

“But,” one of the soldiers interjected, “we will if we have to.” An arc of fire flew over the villagers’ heads.

It looked like slow motion, Zuko’s ears filling with the kids’ terrified screams. He pushed past Katara, determined to make sure no one else got hurt at his expense. “Leave them alone!” He pulled his hood, giving the soldier a clear view of his scarred face. “I’m the one you’re looking for!”

The old man gave him a curious smile. “Ah, I see.” He waved for his soldiers to stand down. “So you’re the Avatar. You are much younger than I thought you’d be.”

“Zuko?” Katara whispered.

“No way,” Sokka murmured.

Zuko tried to ignore them. He had meant to tell them. Eventually. He really did. “If I go with you, do you _promise_ to leave everyone alone?” He didn’t want to fight. It was the _last_ thing he wanted. If he could avoid bringing anymore violence to this tribe, then he was going to take that chance.

“Of course,” the old firebender promised. “No harm will come to anyone here.”

“No!” Katara protested as the soldiers shoved him towards the ship. “Zuko, don’t do this!”

Zuko didn’t think there was anything he could say to make her feel better. Could he tell her that everything was gonna be okay? She knew who he was now, and everyone knew what the Fire Lord wanted with the Avatar. He didn’t want to make any empty promises. “Take care of Rina while I’m gone, okay?”

“Set a course for the Fire Nation,” the old man called. “We are going home.”

Katara wanted so badly to chase after him, to stop the door from closing on the boy who had just given himself up for her tribe, but all she could do was watch as the ship sailed away.

All around her, tents were being put back up, fires were being started for dinner, but she still stared at the space in the fog where the ship had disappeared.

She snuck away from the village, Sokka not far behind, probably to try and stop her if she tried anything. She stood at the edge of the ocean, refusing to look at her brother. “We have to go after that ship, Sokka. Zuko saved our tribe, now we have to save him.”

“Katara, I-”

“Why can’t you realize that he’s on our side?” Katara interrupted. “If we don’t help him, no one will. I _know_ you don’t like Zuko, but-!”

“Katara!” She turned to see him standing next to a boat packed with supplies. “Are you gonna talk all day, or are you coming with me?”

She gasped. “Sokka!” The gesture was unexpected, but sweet. She threw her arms around her brother and hugged him as tight as she could.

He pulled away and nodded to the boat. “Get in. We’re going to save your boyfriend.”

And the good feeling was gone. “He’s _not_ my-”

“Whatever,” Sokka teased.

“What do you two think you’re doing?” Katara and Sokka whirled around to see their grandmother. They put on their most innocent faces and hoped she’d believe whatever lie they came up with. But to their surprise, she smiled, a true rarity, and held out a bundle of fabric. “You’ll need these. You have a long journey ahead of you.”

Katara and Sokka looked at each other in surprise. Gran-Gran was _letting_ them go?”

“It’s been so long since I’ve had hope,” she opened her arms to hug Katara, “But you’ve brought it back to life my little waterbender.” She handed the Katara the bundle and moved on to Sokka. “And you, my brave warrior, be nice to your sister.”

Sokka hugged her. “Yeah. Okay, Gran.”

“Zuko is the Avatar,” Gran-Gran said as she pulled away. “He’s the world’s only chance. You both found him for a reason. Now your destinies are intertwined with his.”

Katara looked at the boat and sighed, “There’s no way we’re going to catch a warship with a canoe.” As if on cue, a growl could be heard echoing off the ice. A familiar gray shape appeared over the hillside. “Rina!”

“You just love taking me out of my comfort zone, don’t you?” Sokka asked, though he had already resigned to following his sister towards the fire-breathing reptile anyway.

The siblings would have been very confused to know that Zuko was in no inherent danger. Zuko was confused, and he was the one actually experiencing the capture. The strangest capture he’d ever experienced.

As soon as they had boarded the ship, the old man, who the soldiers called _Iroh_ , requested to deal with him alone. The soldiers agreed. Reluctantly. But the fact that they agreed at all was confusing. Even if the old man was in charge, it seemed unwise.

And that wasn’t even where the confusion ended. Iroh led him to a room. _His_ room. Just the two of them alone. Zuko was so taken aback that he just stood in the doorway.

“Would you like to sit down?” Iroh asked. “I can make some tea if you’d like.”

Zuko sat down slowly. “What’s your game, old man?”

Iroh smiled as he boiled a kettle of water. “I know many games. But I am rather partial to pai-sho.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Zuko said. “Why aren’t you… I don’t know.” He lifted his hands. “I’m not even restrained.”

Iroh continued preparing the tea. “It’d be hard to drink tea with your hands tied behind your back.

Zuko lowered his hands. “So, what’s stopping me from escaping?”

“I won’t get to teach you pai-sho,” Iroh mused, “But other than that, I suppose there really isn’t much keeping you here.” He poured a cup of tea and passed it to Zuko. “But I’m sure your friends are on their way. It might be wiser to wait for their help.”

Taking the tea, Zuko narrowed his eyes at Iroh suspiciously. “What are you even doing out here? I’ve been missing for one hundred years, frozen in an iceberg. Why are you still looking for me.”

Iroh sipped his tea. “I was once a great general for the Fire Nation. I was on the path to conquer the great city of Ba Sing Se.” He set his tea down on the tea. “But I failed. And as punishment for my shortcomings, I was told to either bring back the Avatar or eliminate him so that his power could not be used against the Fire Nation.

“In the eyes of the Fire Lord, it is the only way to restore my honor. And I cannot rest in my endeavors until the Avatar is brought to justice.” Iroh gestured to Zuko’s cup. “Now drink your tea before it gets cold.”

Zuko pushed the cup away. “No! You just said you were bringing me to the Fire Lord _or_ you were going to kill me. You probably poisoned this!”

“Did I say I was going to do either of those things?” Iroh wondered aloud. “Or did I say that is what the Fire Lord _wants_ me to do?” Zuko blinked at him. “If the stories are true, Avatar, then you are a bright young man.” He picked up his tea and smiled. “I think you know where this conversation is headed.”

“You… _want_ me to escape?” Zuko took the tea and took a careful sip. “Why capture me in the first place then?”

“There was a beam of light that appeared upon your return,” Iroh said, “I knew my men would tell stories of what they saw when they returned home. They would have sent small armies to the South Pole to look for you, regardless of whether or not you had stayed. But by bringing you onto the ship, and giving you a chance to escape on your own terms, you’ll be long gone before my men get back home. And…”

“And everyone in the South Pole will be safe,” Zuko finished. “You’re pretty smart, Mister Iroh.”

He laughed. “Please, young Avatar. Iroh will do just fine.”

“Well, _Zuko_ will do just fine, too,” the teen replied. “Besides, I hardly qualify as an Avatar. All I know is fire.”

Iroh pulled out a small box of tiles and began arranging them in rows. “Then you must learn. I’m sure your friends will be more than willing to help.”

“How do you even know they’re coming?” Zuko asked. “I lied to Katara about who I was, and Sokka doesn’t even _like_ me.”

The ship suddenly lurched to the right. A roar drowning out the soldiers’ frantic shouting. Zuko started at the ex-general in shock. Iroh merely winked. “I think your friends are here, young Zuko.”

Zuko stood up and ran for the door. He paused for a moment. “Seriously, how’d you know?”

Iroh shrugged. “I just had a feeling.”

Zuko let out a short breath, which Iroh could only assume was something akin to laughter. “Of course.” He started out the door again. “Thanks for the tea!” He shouted from the hallway.

“You are most welcome,” Iroh said. The boy’s tea was unfinished, but no matter.

A soldier burst into his room. “The Avatar has escaped! And there’s a dragon flying over the deck! What happened?!”

Iroh began his tile game. “Dragons… now _those_ I haven’t seen in a very long time.”

The soldier grumbled something about Iroh being a crazy old man before running up to the deck. It was a mess up there, between Sokka’s boomerang and Katara’s waterbending attempts (both failed and successful) the siblings had managed to take care of quite a few soldiers on their own.

Katara spotted Zuko first. “There he is! Should we land?”

“No!” Sokka shouted over the chaos. “Wait until he’s closer!”

Zuko dodged the incoming attacks. There were only three soldiers left, and Zuko seemed to be holding his own just fine, but, “He’s not fighting back!”

“What? Why not?!” Sokka threw his boomerang at one of the soldiers, leaving two for Zuko to deal with. “Zuko! Get your butt up here! Do you know how hard it was to get this dragon in the air?!”

Katara rolled her eyes. “All we had to do was flick the reins.”

“Did we know that?” Sokka asked. “No!” He threw the boomerang again, but the last two soldiers were smarter than the others and ducked under it. Sokka sighed in frustration. “I’m just a guy with a boomerang. I didn’t ask for all this magic and bending…”

One of the soldiers turned to them, fire running down the length of his arm and he thrust his hand into the air. Sokka ducked behind the wall of the basket, knowing it wasn’t going to protect him, but it was better than nothing.

“No!” A huge gust of wind made Sokka look up again. Zuko was hovering in the air, his eyes glowing blue just like they had been in the iceberg. It was kind of terrifying, and Sokka thanked the spirits that Zuko was on their side. The air around him swirled dangerously, knocking nearly everyone on the deck into the water.

That water was _freezing._ Sokka almost pitied the soldiers. Almost. “Yeah! That’s for the water tribe!” He pointed to the now-empty deck. “Katara, we can land now! Let’s grab Zuko and go!”

“Got it!”

Rina landed none too gently on the boat. Zuko’s small tornado came to a stop. His energy faded right along with light in his eyes. Sokka jumped off of Rina’s back just in time to catch the collapsing firebender. “You really gotta stop doing that, buddy.”

Zuko’s good eye opened tiredly. “Hey guys,” he mumbled, “Thanks for coming.”

Sokka grinned. “Well, I couldn’t let you have all the glory.”

“We’ve got company!” Katara shouted. Sokka immediately reached for his boomerang. The old man from earlier was calmly looking around the deck.

Zuko sat up. “Wait! Don’t!” He rubbed his head. “It’s alright. Iroh let me escape.”

Sokka lowered his boomerang. “He _let_ you escape?”

“Correction,” Iroh said, “I am _letting_ you escape. You children haven’t quite gotten to the escape part yet.”

“Thanks, Iroh.” Zuko stood with Sokka’s help. “Sorry about knocking your crew into the water. You might be stuck here for a while.”

“That just gives me more time to play my game,” Iroh replied easily, “And perhaps drink some more tea.” He waved them off. “Now go. And I hope to see you again, Zuko. Under better circumstances, of course.”

The trio nodded to their new friend and quickly mounted Rina and took off. None of them even dared breathe until the warship was out of sight. Then Katara launched into an excited outburst. “How did you do that?! With the air! It was the most amazing thing I’ve _ever_ seen.”

Zuko let go of Rina’s reins and let her glide on her own for a while. “I don’t know,” he answered honestly, “I just sort of… _did_ it.”

“Why didn’t you tell us _you_ were the Avatar?” Katara asked.

Zuko sighed. “I didn’t- I mean, I _wanted_ to, but…”

“But…?” Sokka asked.

“I didn’t _ask_ to be the Avatar,” Zuko said. “I didn’t want this.”

All three of them were silent for a while before Katara spoke up again, “The world’s been waiting for the Avatar to return, and _finally_ put an end to this war.”

Zuko’s brow furrowed. “And how am I supposed to do that exactly?”

“According to legend, you need to first master air. Then water, and then earth. Right?”

“That’s how I always heard it.”

Sokka leaned forward. “So let’s just do that. We’ll find you an airbender. We’ll find you both a water bender. And I’ll get to knock some firebender heads along the way. Everyone wins except the Fire Nation.”

“Then we’re in this together,” Katara confirmed. “Any idea where we should look first?”

“The Southern Air Temple is closest,” Zuko suggested. “We could look there. Maybe hit some islands along the way for supplies.”

“That’s a plan I can get behind,” Sokka said. “Let’s go to the Southern Air Temple.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll never fucking guess who they meet at the Southern Air Temple. Yeah. It's Grandpa Aang.


End file.
